March 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic-Discussion Thread

March 9, 2015

Pre- Face wash with warm water
Brush Soak- Sriracha Mug of Doom™
Razor- Ikon 102 Slant
Blade- Personna
Soap- Soap Commander Passion
Brush- VDH boar
Post- Cold water rinse, Osma Alum block, Thayers Witchhazel
Aftershave- Nivea sensitive balm
Smell Good- Fine L'Orange Noir

Two and a half passes :WTG , XTG, cleanup


Still working on my pressure and angles, especially on my neck. Two stubborn areas in sensitive spots that are still giving me
grief, but nowhere near as bad as when I started DE in January. The Personna/Ikon combo is still working well for me. Really like
the Soap Commander products, just wish the scents were a bit stronger sometimes.

Realized during this shave that I might have an allergy to natural hair brushes. No matter what soap I use, tallow, vegan, stuff
in a tube, etc. my face gets a distinct tingling feeling when I apply the lather. Tried two different badgers, and this boar so far.
May have to look into a synthetic brush soon, and see if it continues.

All in all, a good shave. Still learning, of course, but it's getting better every time.

 

March Focus- Be modern, (looking to adopt a vintage DE ) Learn to use my Feather Artist Club razor. Any touch ups with a Maggard MR6B.

March 9th, SOTD (Shave 5 of the focus)
Two Day's growth
Prep: Hot shower
Razor Start: Feather Artist Club SS non-folding with Pro-Guard Blade (3rd shave on blade)
Razor Finish: Maggard MR6
DE Blade: Sharp Durablade- Stropped 30 times per edge (2nd shave on blade)
Soap: Barrister and Mann Seville Tallow based soap, bowl lathered
Brush: Omega 1066 Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Kyovu Original

So I am traveling right now, and I didn't bring the feather artist club. Using my first DE razor, a Maggard MR6B. Today I was just looking at a single pass shave, to knock down the stubble, so I could shave again tomorrow when I need to look my best. I stropped my blade as usual, and started a WTG pass, and it felt freaking horrible. I looked at the razor head, and realized my blade wasn't in straight, and the handle didn't seem to want to tighten down enough to lock the blade. Crap. I did my best to tighten it, and finished the pass. On the plus side, I should have no issues having enough stubble to get a good shave tomorrow. So I am going to a mall with an AOS in it later today, but I hate to spend that much money. I am hoping I can find an antique mall and find a superspeed to adopt. I might need to get a disposable razor for the rest of this trip.

Lesson learned, travel with quality razors, not the cheap stuff. On the plus side, it looks like I have been doing more with the Feather AC than I thought.

 

@Drygulch what city are you in?

 

I am in Apple Valley, MN. Think I am going to see if the target here has one of those VDH razors.

 

I was going to look up some antique stores for you but if you want a quick for sure thing I checked the Bed Bath and Beyond in Apple Valley and they have the Micro Touch One in stock

 

Thank you!

 

No problem. I tried to look at Target but it wouldn't tell me if that store had them in stock just had the option for in store pickup.

 

DAY 8 - COLD WATER MENTHOL MARCH!
Prep: shower and Noxzema face wash
Growth: 2 day
Razor: Gillette Tech
Blade: Yellow Gillette 7 O'clock (day 3)
Preshave: Stirling Orange Chill Preshave oil
Soap: Stirling Orange Chill
Passes: 3 - standard WTG, ATG - XTG with clean up
Post shave: Orange Chill Witch Hazel and Aloe
Post shave: Stirling Post Shave balm - barbershop

Worked on getting a nice big lather before throwing it on my mug this morning. And the more I work with the Stirling soap, the more explosion of lather I find happening. Using the same setup for a whole 30 days is giving me confidence - not that I was timid before when shaving. Just very cautious. Got distracted by the kids loading up for school that when shaving that I forgot to comb my hair. Awesome. At least my face looks good! DFS to BBS

 

03/09 - Dialing in the Slim: Menthol Monday shave and each pass was colder than the last with Stirling Frozen Tundra. I finished off with some very chilly Osage rub – not crazy about the scent. Going to try doing mid-pass adjustments on the Slim as 2 seems a bit rough for my neck and isn’t aggressive enough on my chin.

• Growth: 1 day
• Prep: Shower; Corn Huskers Lotion
• Lather: Stirling Frozen Tundra
• Brush: WD HM 24/52mm
• Razor: 1964 Gillette Slim (3,2,4 for touchup)
• Blade: Voshkod (2)
• Post: Alum; Osage Rub

 

March Focus - Vintage and Carbon
March 9, 2015 - Week 2 Day 2
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - Omega Pro 48
Soap - Arko
Razor - '46 Gillette Aristocrat
Blade - (2)
Post - RazoRock Alum and Clubman

Day two of the Dura Sharp was another good shave, but I'm wondering if it will go 4 shaves like the Black Beauty. Seems a little less efficient on day two, so day three will be critical. Of course, with the time change and lack of sleep over the weekend I may be the one dragging, not the blade. We'll see tomorrow. Overall, though, another DFS on three passes and I'm finding the carbon blades to be performing well, at least through the first two. The difference between the New LC last week and the Aristocrat this week is interesting to note as well. Quite mild the past two days. But quite comfortable.

I have 300 Russian blades waiting for me at the post office to be picked up in the morning. All the way from the motherland!

​

 

March Focus- Be modern, Learn to use my Feather Artist Club razor. Any touch ups with a modern DE

March 9th, SOTD (Shave 6 of the focus
One Day's growth and a bunch of stubble I didn't get this morning.
Prep: Hot towel, left lather on for 5 minutes
Razor Start: Feather Artist Club SS non-folding with Pro-Guard Blade (3rd shave on blade)
Razor Finish: Maggard MR6 Van Der Hagen/ Weishi
DE Blade: Sharp Durablade- Stropped 30 times per edge (1st shave on blade)
Soap: Barrister and Mann Seville Tallow based soap, bowl lathered
Brush: Omega 1066 Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Kyovu Original

Figured out that I cross threaded my Maggard razor head badly enough that it won't tighten correctly any more. Since I am traveling I didn't have other razor options. Its been one of those days. I also had to put my jeep in the shop, since it wasn't going to make it home on Wednesday if I didn't. I started at the Target across the street rather than hiking to the BBaB for the one @txskimo had found. They had the VDH razor in stock. I didn't use thier blades, just kept on with the Sharps. I think I got the right ratio of water for this soap, and it worked well. The razor felt like a milder version of my blue tip, seriously more mild than my pre-war Tech. Did a three pass shave, and an bunch of touch up. Ended up using way more pressure than I like, and a bunch of buffing. I am two slightly rough spots from a BBS, so we will call it a DFS. Only minor irritaion with the alum block.

SWMBO is pissed that I bought another razor rather than using a disposable. I didn't try to explain...

 

My focus of doing a daily one-pass is revelatory. The one-pass feels so right for my face. I should've done this daily two years ago and saved my face from countless days of burn, but it's a process - and experience is the best guide!

I'm learning my technique for the one-pass every day. Each day I discover what works to get a CCS.

The Tabac and Arko are my favorite soaps, they are remarkable and affordable.

 

Thanks dude! I could make a fist (mostly) for the first time since 2-27-15 tonight! Our Heavenly Father gave us amazing bodies...the amount of trauma we as humans are able to take is stunning to me. I probably have about three weeks of tough skin healing to go, tonight is actually the first time that typing is kinda ok, but I am only using my right index finger and left hand so it is still slow. But, all in all, very grateful that it's all gonna be ok and not really hurting much anymore other than some nightly swelling.

I burned it by carelessly resting my hand on hot stove glass while looking for something in the cupboard. Really don't even understand it...just a bad day. I had only been home from KY for 36 hours. It has really been cool to read the forum even though I can't post as much. You guys are rocking it!

 

I will continue with the left all month (and likely longer). This whole experience has been good for me. I am so so so grateful now to be whole and healthy. I never realized all that I took for granted.

 

I dig Weishi....feels like a flare tip SS when I use mine...

 

This is an example of why I registered a TSD account. We have the coolest guys hanging out on this forum.

 

I like your experiment here. Sounds like something I want to try.

 

30 Day Rule for Monday...late post.

I did it. Followed my rule, 2pass dfs...life is good!

 

The Gillette New LC continues to enjoy different blades. Today's blade is a Wilkinson Sword and the 3 pass shave was amazing. Could have gotten by with 2 passes but you know how it is, everything felt great so one more lather and away went the remaining rough spots. This was the 13th consecutive shave with the New LC and I am really enjoying it. I'm so fortunate, I have 3 razors I really like - New LC, New SC and Weber.

 

03/10/15
Prep – MR GLO
Razor – ATT S2
Blade – Astra SP (1)
Brush – RV with Shavemac Finest
Lather – MdC
Post - Witch Hazel and Dove AS Balm



I have not been getting on well with the ATT S2. The shaves have not been as smooth as last weeks test of the ATT S1. So this morning in an effort to try and improve the shaves, I went with the Astra SP instead of my normal Persona Lab Blue. Sadly this did not improve the shave. I think at this point, I'm going back to the S1 for the remainder of this week. At least the MdC continues to work well.